BSS-44 World Radio Day tomorrow

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ZCZC

BSS-44

DAY-RADIO-TOMORROW

World Radio Day tomorrow

DHAKA, Feb 12, 2019 (BSS) – The World Radio Day-2019, a day to celebrate radio as a medium, will be observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe tomorrow highlighting the importance of radio.

The objective of the day is to raise awareness about the importance of radio, facilitate access to information through radio and enhance networking among broadcasters with this year’s theme “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”.

On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting all concerned, including officers, employees, technicians and audience of the Bangladesh Betar and wishing all programmes of the day a success.

The President said Bangladesh Betar has been playing an important role in creating mass awareness on different national issues along with broadcasting educational, recreational and informative programmes.

Describing radio as the strongest, oldest and biggest mass medium, he said the medium has been able to reflect the hopes and aspirations of general masses during the country’s Great War of Independence in 1971.

The President expressed his believe that Bangladesh Betar would be able to contribute in the practice of correct and refine culture with spirit of Libration War as well as broadcasting different development activities of the government.

He hoped radio can play a vital role in building mutual respect among the people of the world for peace restoration through broadcasting various national and international issues.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message said the use of Betar has increased in all developing countries like Bangladesh as it has emerged as the oldest, popular and effective medium.

Since its inception in 1939, Bangladesh Betar has been playing a significant role as a strongest medium, she said, adding that “It also played important role during our War of Liberation in 1971”.

The premier said alongside the freedom fighters, the role of ‘Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro’ during the country’s War of Liberation had inspired the beleaguered nation to achieve freedom.

Noting that numbers of private FM radio and community radio stations are functioning along with the Bangladesh Betar in the country, Sheikh Hasina said the radio has been contributing significantly in the overall development of human life, poverty reduction, agricultural development, education growth, women’s empowerment, reduction of child and maternal mortality rates.

“Our government has ensured free flow of information to accelerate the national development. We reach the information services to the doorsteps of the people through launching Jatiya Tattha Batayan and Union Information and Service Centers,” the premier said.

“We enacted the Right to Information (RTI) Act-2009 and established Information Commission, including formulating National Broadcast Policy, for the first time,” she said, adding that a total of 44 private television channels, 22 FM radios and 32 community radios got approval and they are enjoying full freedom now.

Sheikh Hasina hoped that Bangladesh Betar would play a pivotal role in building happy and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

BSS/PR/SRH/MMA/1912hrs